We were lucky to catch up with Kimberley Dunn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kimberley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I am a storyteller. And not merely in the sense of my capacity to hone the power of words but also in that I have an ability to encapture and frame my experiences, whether they emerge from a place of personal growth, joy, or even pain.

I have always considered myself not as a global citizen but rather that of the in-between. Born in Paris, France, I’ve spent the past seventeen years living in London, Dallas, and Miami. Surrounded by the languages of French, English, and Arabic, I spent much of my early childhood exploring museums, parks, and the busy streets of London.

Moving so many times has naturally exposed me to culturally distinctive corners of the world. Yet in having been to eleven schools and moved twelve times, I’ve similarly found myself unwittingly taking inhabitance of the sphere of the unknown.

In a state of constant uncertainty, I thereby find it particularly difficult to sustain anything of permanence: friends take on the essence of blurred faces, belongings drift in and out of boxes, and homes prove merely temporary.

And yet I have always had a love for all things ancient and literary as within books I can find refuge in the comforting embrace of countless worlds, stories, and ideas, ever constant even as a book takes on new forms. A few years ago, my family and I came across an estate sale at the home of a poet laureate. Within were thousands of books and, in other words, a reader’s paradise. We spent several days exploring the extensive breadth of literature within the home and left having filled our car three times. To come across such precious literature, passed down through the hands of another reader only begins to characterize the essence of both collecting and reading antiquarian books.

So as I spent one of the last summers biking to the library and seeking knowledge in the name of distracting myself from the thought of the ambiguity of where I would be moving next, I came across an invigorating book of photographs and descriptions alike of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Within I discovered The Admont Library of Austria, its baroque architecture lined with characteristic white and gold ornamentation, breathtaking cupola frescoes spread across its ceilings. Within I discovered an unfolding comfort, a remarkably distinct feeling, and a burgeoning idea, incapable of being relinquished.

The Admont Library thereby first emerged as an idea rather than a mere bookstore. I began my business with an Etsy shop and a single book: a 1977 Franklin Library Edition of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. However, I later transitioned to designing my own site through Wix, thereby expanding the capabilities of my business. The process of building a business’ image is quite alike to painting. To the initial layer of the canvas is applied the foundation of one’s business: the initial product. What is the customer primarily purchasing? Built upon one’s central product are further layers that enhance the customer experience and characterize the very nature of one’s business. Naturally, I have always been dedicated to maintaining a certain standard of both intellectual and aesthetic quality in what I do, and there is a particular method when going about doing so. Each book that I feature in my store is carefully curated, each with its own story, each with its own beauty exhibited through either vivid illustrations, marbled covers, or even a gilded spine, for I can’t imagine myself merely selling in the name of profit over character.

A customer never merely purchases an old book but rather a precious experience. The Admont Library is an idea, a place “where pleasure meets pages.” And behind it is my passion: to provide all with the ultimate reading experience. As such, I hand-wrap each order with care, provide compassionate 24/7 customer service, ensure free shipping for all U.S. orders, and include a complimentary brew + bookmark with every purchase. Despite the stressful connotation of shipping and packing orders, I take pleasure in it; each order develops its own theme, its own personality, and its own experience.

The Admont Library thereby seeks to hone such a feeling: the same blossoming feeling I know I felt the first time I held an 18th century book with my own hands, the first time I discovered the Admont Library, the first time I sold a book. As there is ultimately an unparalleled sentiment that comes with the nature of reading the leaves of the past and I seek to celebrate it.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m an antiquarian bookseller and editor of The Admont Abbey Magazine. When I’m not selling antique books, I’m usually reading classic literature, bookbinding, or making illuminated manuscripts. After having collected vintage and collector’s editions for several years as well as having admired classic literature throughout my teens, I had a desire to create an ultimate reading experience to provide to others. In a fast paced technologicial world, some may find reading a physical book un]interesting and I wanted to change that. I wanted to reimagine the reading experience through The Admont Library, an idea first and a bookstore second.

The Admont Library is multifaceted in that it not only serves as a bookstore but also an archive, blog, and home to a magazine. Each book includes a handwritten letter sealed with wax, complimentary brew and bookmark, and free shipping (The worst thing during a shopping experience is to find out that there are unexpected shipping fees for an item you really like!). The Admont Archive is a project that seeks to provide an online library of classic literature that can be accessed at the click of a button. Each title is typset to include multimedia matching the theme of the novel. The Abbot’s Corner is a blog that explores all things bookish, from manuscrript illumination to Norse Mythology. And finally, The Admont Abbey Magazine is the only magazine dedicated to admirers of classic literature and booksellers alike. We will look to interview figures in the bookselling industry as well as archivists, bookbinders, modern scribes, etc.

I would have to say what I’m most proud of is how much my business has expanded since it first started. I’ve gone from having an Etsy shop to having my own website, from solely writing as a hobby to utilizing the power of writing to create a source of income. I’ve found a way to hone my passion for reading and writing and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

I originally started The Admont Library on Etsy in the summer of 2021. Having created my own website as well, I’ve had the opportunity to observe the advantages and disadvantages of selling on Etsy. Most of my sales having been made from Etsy rather than my personal website, I’ve found that Etsy’s system. of tags attached to each product enhances SEO. With enhanced SEO, however, comes a price: Etsy does take a percentage of each sale and requests a listing fee for each product every 3 months or so. The thing about having a personal website, though, is that directing traffic is a one man job. With Etsy, they assist with ranking your product for searches using high-ranking Etsy keywords. Overall, I enjoy having the freedom of a personal website but also the flow of income from my Etsy shop.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn how I define success. In the early days of my business, I measured success by how many sales I made and how many Instagram followers I had. I spent hours trying to find methods to acquiring more sales as well as a larger social media presence, but now, I’ve come to simply appreciate the success that I do have and to sit back and watch my business grow on its own. Sucess takes time, and, in my mind, is simply measured by how much I grow and learn throughout this process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theadmontlibrary.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theadmontlibrary/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberley-dunn-076878212/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theadmontlibrary

Image Credits
All photos taken by Kimberley Dunn